How many times — with your kids within eavesdropping distance — have you ranted about the growing bundle of interest and fees that are hitting your credit card?

If you think your children aren't picking up on your stress, think again, say the authors of a study recently published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The research, published in the February edition of Pediatrics, found a link between households with high levels of credit card and other unsecured debt and children experiencing social and behavioral problems.

What alarmed the researchers is that “socio-emotional well-being in childhood is linked to a range of adverse outcomes” later in life. The study said pediatricians “should be concerned about the socio-emotional development of children whose parents have unsecured debt.”

Previous research in this field has focused mainly on linking debt with the emotional well-being of adults. The American Academy of Pediatrics report calls itself the first to examine the link between parental debt and the well-being of children.

The researchers observed and studied about 9,000 children and their mothers from 1986 to 2008. The children were ages 5 to 15. The mothers reported on the socio-emotional well-being of their children and also reported on family debt, including credit cards, home mortgage debt, student loans and auto loans.

The research showed mixed results. For example, the study said, unsecured debt may lead to economic distress because it generally carries “high interest rates and is used for short-term consumption rather than long-term investment.” This, in turn, can create “anxiety that affects parenting interaction and child development.”

Specifically, the research showed that an increase from $5,000 in debt to $10,000 was associated with a 35 percent increase in behavior problems among children.

But other types of debt, such as for a parent's college education or for buying a home, were tied to fewer behavior problems among children. That's presumably because going into debt for those reasons “may provide access to more stable neighborhoods and better schools,” the study said.

I believe the findings should be a reminder to parents that kids tune in more than you think. So, how can you help kids deal with the financial stress in your household?

For starters, don't give your kids the silent treatment if they're starting to ask questions. That may only heighten their anxieties.

If you have younger children, there's nothing wrong telling them that they shouldn't worry and that you have a plan to pay the bills.

Or if your 8-year-old asks why mom and dad are arguing about money, experts suggest responding with a question of your own: Why are you asking?

It could be that your child is concerned you'll have to sell the house and move far away from friends.

With older kids, consider bringing them into the discussion, especially if they have a debit or credit card. They need to develop a sense for valuing money and an understanding of what things cost and what happens if charging gets out of hand. You can also talk about how borrowing can sometimes be a savvy strategy.

Remember, you can be their best role model when it comes to working through financial problems.

Questions, comments, column ideas? Send an e-mail to srosen@kcstar.com.